Borini defends decision to snub Sunderland and QPR

UNDER FIRE: Fabio Borini has defended his decision to reject moves to Sunderland and QPR, despite being fifth choice striker at Liverpool

FABIO Borini has defended his decision to stay at Liverpool, despite receiving offers from Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers on deadline day.

The Black Cats spent the entire transfer window trying to persuade Borini to return to the club following a successful loan spell last season.

They even had a £14m bid accepted by the Reds, who were keen to move the player on, but the Italian striker refused to discuss a permanent move to Wearside in the hope of playing his way into the team at Anfield or receiving an offer from a Champions League club.

There were suggestions AC Milan and Inter Milan were considering a move for the 23-year-old, but Monday’s deadline came without an offer from Italy.

Having lost Loic Remy to Chelsea, newly-promoted QPR made a late bid, but Rangers boss Harry Redknapp revealed the club could not match the striker’s wage demands with reports suggesting he was asking for £90,000-a-week.

That led to criticism of Borini, who will struggle to find a place in the Liverpool side with Daniel Sturridge, Mario Balotelli, Lazar Markovic and Rickie Lambert in competition, but the 23-year-old hit back at abuse he has received on Twitter.

“Finally the madness is finished!” Borini wrote on the social networking site.

“I protected the MAN and the player that I am today, taking all the responsibility of the situation and for people who didn't want it.

“And I'm VERY happy with myself to have taken such an important decision!”

Borini’s agent, Marco di Marchi, has also spoken out, claiming Liverpool would not accept any loan offers for the striker.

“The player still has two years on his contract with Liverpool and they decided not to consider offers for a loan,” di Marchi said.

“Inter Milan and other very important clubs in Europe wanted him on loan. Liverpool didn't accept and then QPR made an offer to buy him immediately.

“But the proposal for the player was not a proposal for an important player. Now Fabio will stay with Liverpool and try to convince the coach to give him a chance. He is used to fighting for things.

“I don't know what will happen in the January market.”

While Sunderland missed out on Borini, head coach Gus Poyet did welcome Ricardo Alvarez from Inter Milan and Sebastian Coates from Liverpool to the club on Monday.

Both players have signed season-long loan deals at the Stadium of Light, and defender Coates admits he is relishing playing under fellow Uruguayan Poyet.

“It is a pleasure for me to be here and I am really excited for the opportunity to be part of Sunderland’s team,” he said.

“It has been great since I arrived here; I know the team and the manager now so it is really good.

“He was really good for Uruguay and he was a great player, as a manager he keeps improving after starting with Brighton where he did really well.

“For me it is really important to be here, he spoke with me and I know what he wants from me which is also important.

“He tries to play good football and that is really important for me because at Liverpool it was the same style.”